PBA 032a
5:55:16 PM Kali: What's Isk going to do? 5:55:42 PM Iskandar: He'll go into Ven's room. Probably read a book about macrame until Ven wakes up. 5:57:46 PM Kali: Eventually Ven does wake up, and he sits up, rubbing his head. 5:58:22 PM Iskandar: How are you feeling? 5:58:56 PM Iskandar: Iskandar doesn't put his book down. It's called 'Macrame for Tridigital Children'. 5:59:26 PM Kali: Ven: Not great. But, still alive. So it could be worse. 6:00:35 PM Iskandar: So what's the last thing you remember before waking up here? 6:01:51 PM Kali: Ven: You ran away and have a pirate ship and you left the whole damn crew behind. 6:01:53 PM Kali: He glowers. 6:02:48 PM Iskandar: I mean more specifically. Last thing I remember was going to bed at the hideout. Then I woke up in a weird metal pod and ended up here. With no way back. 6:03:12 PM Iskandar: We're on an entirely different plane. This ship is damaged and has no way to steer. 6:04:10 PM Kali: Ven: ... oh. 6:04:26 PM Kali: Ven: Beat Albie at arm-wrestling, got drunk, went to bed. 6:04:45 PM Iskandar: Yeah. Woke up in a weird metal pod, found us, shot me. 6:04:51 PM Kali: Ven: Mighta been some girls involved at some point. 6:04:59 PM Kali: Ven: Well it didn't look good, did it? 6:05:37 PM Iskandar: I suppose not. I know that when I woke up here the first thing I thought was that you had found a way to get me kidnapped so you could take over. 6:06:08 PM Kali: Ven snorts. 6:06:22 PM Kali: Ven: You'd think you'd know better by now. If I were gonna stab you in the back I'd do it to your face! 6:07:44 PM Iskandar: I freely admit that I'm not the best at... what's the opposite of introspection. Extraspection? That. 6:08:21 PM Kali: Ven: That's why you needed me in the first damn place. 6:09:43 PM Iskandar: Yes, well. You're cursed now, just like the rest of us. We can't leave the ship. If we try, we just end up back in one of those pods. If we die, we're stuck as ghosts who are bound here. 6:11:13 PM Iskandar: So try not to die. 6:11:33 PM Kali: Ven: Good advice for most days, right? 6:12:12 PM Iskandar: Generally. 6:13:19 PM Iskandar: Also, don't shoot or stab anyone else here. We have enough problems without turning on each other. 6:13:26 PM Iskandar: No stealing from 'em, either. 6:13:47 PM Iskandar: As far as places to be stuck go, it could be worse, though. 6:14:25 PM Kali: Ven: Sure, sure. You're in charge, right? 6:14:49 PM Iskandar: No one's in charge. We're not pirates. Just trying to survive. 6:16:53 PM Kali: Ven: ... *why* aren't we pirates? 6:17:01 PM Kali: Ven: And how did you get your stuff back? 6:18:00 PM Iskandar: Well, for one, we can't steer the damn ship. Two, the ship is sentient and does have a say in such matters. 6:18:04 PM Iskandar: ...what stuff? 6:18:34 PM Kali: Ven: Your *hoard*. 6:19:40 PM Iskandar: ...what happened to it? 6:19:51 PM Iskandar: It *should* still be back home. 6:19:52 PM Kali: Ven sniffs. 6:20:05 PM Iskandar: Ven. 6:20:16 PM Iskandar: ((17 SM.)) 6:27:39 PM Kali: Ven: Well, I took it didn't I? For safekeeping. 6:31:07 PM Kali: Ven: Don't worry, it's safe. 6:31:22 PM Kali: He seems to be truthful enough! 6:33:19 PM Iskandar: It was safe where it was! Where did you put it! 6:33:48 PM Kali: Ven: Someplace nobody'll ever look for it, that's where. 6:34:49 PM Iskandar: ... fine. Not much I can do about it. I suppose I should just be glad you didn't spend it all on a ship. 6:35:17 PM Kali: Ven: Spent some of it. 6:35:19 PM Kali: He sniffs. 6:35:24 PM Kali: Ven: S'what you get for runnin' off. 6:35:43 PM Iskandar: I didn't run off! How much? 6:35:52 PM Kali: Ven: Didn't *know* you hadn't, did I? 6:35:57 PM Kali: Ven: Wellll... I did buy a ship. 6:36:25 PM Iskandar: .... you mean, you bought *me* a ship. 6:36:52 PM Kali: Ven: In a bottle. Bought a kit to make one. 6:37:08 PM Kali: Ven: It's mine and you can't have it. ... if we find it again. 6:37:15 PM Iskandar: ... gods, Ven, you nearly gave me a coronary. 6:37:37 PM Iskandar: You can just reimburse me the cost later. 6:37:54 PM Kali: Ven glowers. "You owed me 50 gold and a hen-sized diamond! You owe *me* money." 6:38:13 PM Iskandar: I'm pretty sure you owe me 1000 gold. 6:38:56 PM Kali: Ven: I do not! 6:40:27 PM Iskandar: Sure. Remember that thing with the albino? 6:42:28 PM Kali: Ven: Yeah, but the week after that there was the skull thing, remember? 6:43:05 PM Iskandar: The skull doesn't count. That was on you anyway. you followed the wrong trail. 6:43:41 PM Kali: Ven: You didn't say you wanted the kid! How was I supposed to know. I don't read minds. 6:45:48 PM Iskandar: ... are you a male, or a female? Because the kid seems to think you're a woman. You've never corrected us when we referred to you as male, though. And I'm not the best at determining things like age or race or gender in non-scalykind. 6:47:38 PM Kali: Ven's eyes narrow. "Why d'you care?" 6:48:16 PM Iskandar: I wanna know. 6:48:34 PM Iskandar: Is it a disguise thing? 6:49:24 PM Kali: Ven: ... is which a disguise? Name three famous highwaymen. 6:49:47 PM Iskandar: Iskandar ticks off his fingers. "I don't know. I don't know. And I don't know." 6:50:03 PM Kali: Ven: ... right, dragon. 6:50:42 PM Kali: Ven: Well there's dozens of famous women pirates. Less opportunities in highway robbery for women. 6:51:20 PM Iskandar: Why? That seems stupid. 6:52:20 PM Kali: Ven shrugs. "I don't make the rules. Just figured it'd be easier as a man. And I was right." 6:53:09 PM Iskandar: Huh. Okay. I just wanted to know if it was a disguise thing or a gender dimorphism thing, born a woman, actually a man sort of thing. 6:55:55 PM Kali: Ven: Nah. Though I don't care much either way, I guess. 6:56:39 PM Iskandar: Though I don't understand the point of making a name for yourself if it's not actually yourself. 6:59:35 PM Kali: Ven: Who said it wasn't myself? 6:59:57 PM Kali: Ven: Still the same without the wedding tackle. I can still drink *you* under the table. 7:01:32 PM Iskandar: That's because alcohol tastes disgusting. And you have a horrible palate. 7:02:11 PM Kali: Ven: I do not! You can't even tell Elven wine from dwarven piss! 7:02:36 PM Iskandar: It all tastes the same! 7:02:51 PM Kali: Ven: No it doesn't! 7:08:08 PM Iskandar: It does! That different alcohols taste different from industrial cleaner is a lie you're fed by society.. 7:08:53 PM Kali: Ven: Or you have *no tastebuds.* 7:12:14 PM Iskandar: I taste other things just fine. 7:12:31 PM Iskandar: You're just a dupe of the alcohol industry. 7:12:45 PM Kali: Ven: Yeah? Care to *bet* on that? 7:16:17 PM Iskandar: I do not. I don't have money to bet on. 7:16:28 PM Kali: Ven: Liar. I know you have *some*. 7:17:32 PM Iskandar: None that I'm willing to wager on something I don't care about. 7:18:51 PM Kali: Ven: Because you know I'm tellin' the truth. 7:19:00 PM Kali: He (she?) punches Isk on the arm. It hurts. 7:20:30 PM Iskandar: Because there's no way I can overcome a lifetime of conditioning to show you that you're just a slave of Big Alcohol. 7:21:09 PM Kali: Ven: Cowardly son of a bitch. It's good to have you back, captain. 7:23:43 PM Iskandar: Of course it is. Get some rest. 7:24:29 PM Kali: Ven: You're not leavin' me locked in here, are you? 7:25:01 PM Iskandar: I think you know well enough to not go stabbing anyone or get in to trouble. 7:25:30 PM Kali: Ven: Well I'm not going to stab anyone but you. 7:25:43 PM Iskandar: Why me? 7:26:27 PM Kali: Ven: Well I don't know them, do I? 7:27:13 PM Iskandar: .... you from Tarkishi, Ven? 7:28:41 PM Kali: Ven: Born and bred. People get funny when they find out, though, so I keep it quiet. 7:28:57 PM Iskandar: Except for all the stabbing. 7:29:32 PM Kali: Ven: I hardly stab anybody these days. Comes from hanging around a bunch o' foreigners. 7:33:55 PM Iskandar: ... right. Okay. Get some rest. Sleep off the arrow wounds and the lightning. 7:34:21 PM Kali: Ven: Where'll you be? 7:35:26 PM Iskandar: Probably in my room a couple doors down. 7:35:46 PM Iskandar: I think the plan is to check out this plane we just landed on when the suns come up here. 7:36:55 PM Kali: Ven: ... these people your team, or marks? 7:38:27 PM Iskandar: Compatriots. Mutual defense. 7:41:13 PM Kali: Ven: ... all right, then. No stealin'. I know how it goes. 7:48:29 PM Iskandar: Right. 7:48:45 PM Iskandar: Hmm. What else. 7:49:04 PM Iskandar: Oh, there's a forest here. A self contained demilplane that gives us all our food and water and air. 7:50:19 PM Kali: Ven: Is it safe? 7:50:38 PM Iskandar: As long as you don't piss off the dryad that runs the place, apparently. 7:53:17 PM Kali: Ven: They can be temperamental. 7:54:12 PM Iskandar: She seemed perfectly nice. But yeah, they can be. Apparently she's the ship's girlfriend. It's strange. 7:54:51 PM Kali: Ven: ... how's that work? 7:55:10 PM Iskandar: Well, the sentience that runs the ship can make himself a body, so... 7:57:48 PM Kali: Ven: ... that makes more sense. Still... different. 7:58:18 PM Iskandar: It's a pretty strange place, you'll find. 8:00:24 PM Kali: Ven: ... good to see a friendly face, then. 8:04:52 PM Iskandar: You shot me. 8:05:55 PM Kali: Ven: Just returnin' the favor. 8:06:27 PM Iskandar: When did I shoot you? 8:07:34 PM Kali: Ven: Remember that time our scouting party went ahead, robbed some guards and came back? You shot me twice because you thought I was a guard. Remember? 8:08:01 PM Kali: Ven: Still got the scars, see? 8:08:24 PM Kali: He pulls up his shirt a little bit. It's a pretty icky looking scar. 8:09:00 PM Iskandar: Not my fault you dressed like a guard. And I would have thought you'd paid me back by that for all the other times you intentionally harmed me. 8:09:23 PM Kali: Ven: Can't have you going *soft.* 8:16:41 PM Iskandar: Iskandar eyes Ven. "Just so you're clear, the girl who punched you? She was just punching you because you were annoying her." 8:17:07 PM Kali: Ven: Yeah? 8:19:10 PM Iskandar: Yeah. And you wouldn't let her cuff you. 8:19:24 PM Kali: Ven: Matter of principle. Yeah, she's not from home, I know the difference. 8:22:05 PM Iskandar: Iskandar nods. "All right. good." 8:22:27 PM Iskandar: ... so, I don't know a lot about Tarkishi. I mostly know hearsay about the stabbing and stuf. 8:23:21 PM Kali: Ven: Yeah? I mostly don't go in for the ceremony stuff. People not from home don't think it's polite. 8:25:16 PM Iskandar: Ceremony stuff? 8:25:48 PM Kali: Ven: Formality. *Our* discussions of blades are always so nicely spontaneous. 8:28:14 PM Iskandar: I don't use blades. I shoot you with lightning. 8:28:40 PM Iskandar: Or frost beams. 8:31:18 PM Kali: Ven: They're just called that. 8:32:10 PM Iskandar: But it's basically anything that hurts. 8:33:32 PM Kali: Ven: Resolving dispute through civilized conversation, yeah. 8:36:20 PM Iskandar: And here I thought all those times you were attacking me you were trying to take over. 8:36:58 PM Kali: Ven: ... well, yeah. 8:37:03 PM Kali: Ven: That was the dispute. 8:37:05 PM Kali: She grins. 8:37:38 PM Iskandar: Oh, good. I wasn't wrong, then. 8:38:19 PM Kali: Ven: Nope. 8:38:31 PM Kali: Ven: Good discussions, though. 8:40:48 PM Iskandar: I might not like getting shot or stabbed as much as you. 8:42:33 PM Kali: Ven: Well, we're highwaymen, sir. 8:45:31 PM Iskandar: So we are. Doensn't mean I like getting harmed in this flimsy body. 8:47:48 PM Kali: Ven: Well, what would you say if I asked to take your place? 8:48:25 PM Iskandar: No. 8:48:47 PM Iskandar: Which, if I understand it, is pretty much what I've been saying to you all this time anyway. 8:49:10 PM Kali: Ven: Got to be duels, then. 8:49:25 PM Kali: Ven: ... cuttin' yer throat one night when you're asleep just wouldn't feel right. 8:49:36 PM Iskandar: I agree. 8:49:48 PM Iskandar: All right, fair enough, point made. 8:51:15 PM Kali: Ven: Probably what I *should* do, but... guess I'm not that ambitious. 8:58:48 PM Iskandar: Well, I wouldn't do that here, anyway. 9:01:56 PM Kali: Ven: I won't. But if anybody asks... 9:02:26 PM Iskandar: ...yes? 9:04:07 PM Kali: Ven: Well, you can tell 'em I tried, right? 9:05:25 PM Iskandar: That you tried to kill me? Sure. 9:06:51 PM Kali: She grins, and punches him on the shoulder again. 9:09:15 PM Iskandar: YOu know me. Nothing if not generous to my subordinates. 9:12:32 PM Kali: Ven: One of your best qualities! 9:17:01 PM Iskandar: Damn straight. 9:17:23 PM Iskandar: Anyway. Get some rest. I'll leave the door unlocked. 9:18:47 PM Kali: Ven nods. "Yessir." 9:22:38 PM Iskandar: Iskandar leaves her to it!